"You hold them cheap, his cliffs of fall, you who have not hung there."
Piper's as much a product of her environment as the others.
Jenji spoiled us on a panel 1-2 years ago when someone asked why Piper has to be so whiney and she answered, "Why can't she be whiney?"
I think since Piper was supposed to be our avatar into an unknown world, we want to see her survive, improve, succeed since that's what we hope for ourselves in any situation.
But I suspect Jenji has something else in mind for Piper Chapman.
I think she is going to use her as an example of the unwanted consequences society can get from incarceration.
A woman who was self absorbed but not a risk to society before her incarceration, has turned into a woman who has all the worst aspects of her personality blossom and who comes out (?) a definite detriment to society.
If she comes out at all.
Her "its not hurting anyone side business" could land the young correction officer, not to mention her brother and sister in law in jail too, but that's secondary to her need for a nest egg when she gets out in 5 months.
As for Alex, to me she's less of an irritant this year because she isn't doing everything she accused Piper of doing in the first season. She's more a victim than a bitch this season and she comes to a self awareness of that when she stops herself from beating Lolly into a pulp.
That is the same reaction one of my friend's gave me when I told him that I've never seen The Matrix. 
